Ham: Care for some company?

Neo: Counselor Hamman.

Ham: I don’t want to intrude if you’d prefer to be alone.

Neo: No, I could probably use some company.

Ham: Good. So could I. It’s nice tonight, very calm. Feels like everyone is sleeping very peacefully.

Neo: Not everyone.

Ham: I hate sleeping. I never sleep more than a few hours. I figure I slept the first 11 years of my life, now I’m making up for it. What about you?

Neo: I just haven’t been able to sleep much.

Ham: That’s a good sign.

Neo: Of what?

Ham: That you are, in fact, still human. Have you ever been to the engineering level?

(Neo nods shakes his head "no")

Ham: I love to walk there at night, it’s quite amazing. Would you like to see it?

Neo: Sure.

(Scene changes to engineering level)

Ham: Almost no one comes down here, unless of course there’s a problem. That’s how it is with people. Nobody care’s how it works as long as it works. I like it down here. I like to be reminded this city survives because of these machines. These machines are keeping us alive while other machines are coming to kill us. Interesting, isn’t it? The power to give life, and the power to end it.

Neo: We have the same power.

Ham: I suppose we do, but… Down here, sometimes I think about all those people still plugged into the matrix and when I look at these machines I can’t help thinking that, in a way, we are plugged into them.

Neo: But we control these machines, they don’t control us.

Ham: Well, of course not. How could they? The idea is pure nonsense, but it does make one wonder just what is control?

Neo: Well, if we wanted, we could shut these machines down.

Ham (chuckling): Oh, of course. That’s it, you’ve hit it. That’s control, isn’t it? If we wanted, we could smash them to bits. Or, if we did, we’d have to consider what would happen to our lights, our heat, our air…

Neo: So, we need machines and they need us. Is that your point counselor?

Ham: No, no point. Old men like me don’t bother with making points. There’s no point.

Neo: Is that why there are no young men on the council?

Ham: Good point.

Neo: Why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind, counselor?

Ham: There is so much in this world that I do not understand. See that machine? It has something to do with recycling our water supply. I have absolutely no idea how it works, but I do understand the reason for it to work. I have absolutely no idea how you are able to do some of the things you do, but I believe there is a reason for that as well. I only hope we understand that reason before it’s too late.